Happy Friday, friends! I'm going to start sharing bookish blog posts again in 2026. I don't know how long I'll keep up with reading books like I did this month, but I'm going to keep trying and am determined to start reading again regularly. I hope you enjoy this post and are inspired to read!
I am so proud and happy to say that I read four books in January!
I loved this book titled Awake by Jen Hatmaker. I haven't read anything by Jen for years; truth be told, I stopped buying her stuff, because she kind of went off the deep end. She was considered a Bible teacher and some of her books were considered Bible studies, but I disagreed with both. I believe and hope that deep in her heart, she loves Jesus, even if her view point on how He works might be a little twisted/warped and despite the fact that she cussed a lot in this book. (The same has been true of me the last year and a half; I love Jesus, but I cuss a lot sometimes depending on circumstances I'm walking through. I don't mean to be like that, but it comes out. And guess what? Jesus knows my heart and how much I love Him.)
Back to the book: I love Jen as a person, though, and this book is one I could have written myself. It was raw, vulnerable, and brutally honest as she openly shared about her unwanted divorce. Her husband was a pastor in their church, not that this fact excuses him from bad behavior. It was a shocking scandal at the time when she went through this; I remember hearing about it in real time as the truth about him came out. I am sad to say that I had what I now know is a typical reaction of hearing that a couple divorces: I wondered what she might have done to push him away. I haven't ever thought about that until I started writing this. I think many people think like that, wondering what the wife did to push the husband away, as if it's always all only the woman's fault. I think this thinking comes from old fashioned beliefs in the church, and what I was taught since I was a young girl.
This is a terrible way to think, though. I know this now, because I've walked through my own divorce. I know that people probably thought that about me when my ex left me for another woman, one who is younger than me. I might not have heard them say those words, but I felt them. I could see it in their eyes. I felt shame a lot when I first started walking the path of divorce, but now I feel no shame whatsoever. I was never a perfect wife, but I was a really good one and I gave him my very best. Was it enough? No. Was him leaving me for another woman my fault? Hell no. (Sorry for that word, but I'm feeling strongly about this at the moment.) We both made mistakes in our marriage, but I was faithful to him for almost twenty-eight years. He cannot say that.
This book unleashed something in me, maybe because almost every word she wrote resonated so deeply within me. It was a heartbreaking read, honestly, but I realize that it was like free therapy for her to write this out. I've considered doing this same thing; I don't know that I'll ever write a book about it, but it's one of the reasons I write here on my blog everyday. It's free therapy. I have been open about my divorce and my feelings, because I want to be real and vulnerable here. My life is nowhere near perfect; I have my good days and I have my bad days.
The book had three parts: the end, the middle, and then the beginning of when she started her life all over again. I loved that the chapters were short and that she included poetry. I love that she drew me into her story with the first sentence of the book. I started reading this on a trip last year, but I didn't pick it up back up after I returned home. Once I picked it back up this month, I couldn't put it back down.This one might be my favorite book of 2026...it'll be a hard one to top, because of how powerfully deep her words were. It felt like validation.
I loved these "chapters" and their titles.
I finally finished The Let Theory by Mel Robbins. This is another book whose author I love; her Instagram and podcast is one of the best, in my humble opinion. I didn't need a whole book about this theory, though. I felt like a lot of it could have been said quickly, and in shorter chapters. I would recommend following her on IG (click that link) and maybe listening to her podcast; I don't feel like I can recommend this book based on how I felt about it droning on and on.
I love that Jen's book resonated so much with you and was so validating. I heard her on a podcast talking about it. I think we as women blame ourselves for so much so it only makes sense that we feel the blame for divorce, too. I am glad you are to the place where you know it was not your fault. And, combined with the Case Kenny quote about people teaching you something, maybe that brought it all together in January. Keep on writing because you are probably helping women who never leave a comment! I am so happy you are able to read again!
ReplyDeleteI did too. I really do think I could have written it myself. I agree with what you said about us blaming ourselves for a lot. Some of it is that, and sometimes it's someone telling you that it's actually mostly your fault because of all that you did or didn't do. It's hard to unhear words. Yay for me for reading again, right?!
DeleteWow...so much to say...First off, I love Fiona Ferris and I've bought and read most of her books. I have an entire collection. She's just one of those that you know it's going to be a delightful book to have. Now, onto Jen Hatmaker...I used to love her writing and her books. She was funny and relatable. Then she went "woke" before woke was a thing. Everything about her message became a slam against white Christians. All of her years of being raised in a Baptist church became fodder for her later books and they were all just condescending and self-loving. She became an arrogant know it all. I tried to pick up one of her later books, just to see if she still had any redeeming value in what she believed and I ended up throwing it in the trash. It was just more of how smart she had become and how above all the lowly "southern" Christians she had grown up with. Now I find her obnoxious and frankly, quite dangerous to the faith. She is no one that anyone should look to for topics on Christianity. At all. And none of my opinion has anything to do with her marriage/divorce. Her husband was a jerk, obviously. Now on to "LET THEM"...I have read the first few chapters and still intend on finishing it. I agree with you that it is a bit wordy and could have been summed up in a few short chapters.
ReplyDeleteA great book that I'm actually reading again this year is by Sarah Ban Breathnach, called Peace and Plenty. She is the lady who wrote Simple Abundance (also a good book). But Peace and Plenty is about her going through a really hard time after making millions on her first book (Simple Abundance), then marrying a con man who slowly spent all of her money and left her totally broke. The book is about her journey through that and how she survived financially and emotionally. You might enjoy it. I loved it so much that I'm reading it again, which I never do.
Ok, sorry for the long comment. Thanks for sharing your reviews though! I enjoyed them :)
Good morning! Your long comments are always welcome here, my friend, as well as your thoughts. I love hearing from you and value what you have to say. Thank you for the book recommendation! I found a copy on Amazon that was used but in great condition, so I bought it; then I checked out, and I had a gift card that I applied to it, and it was free! That's the best, right?
DeleteI agree with what you said about Jen Hatmaker. I was able to separate all of that from this book, and I read it through eyes of compassion. When you walk through something like we've been through (JH, my friend Marilyn, and me), it changes a lot of the opinions that you used to have on things. I read it while almost crying at some points, because it felt like something I could have written. I feel so differently now about marriage, and how the church treats women as a whole (not acknowledging that women can be strong spiritual leaders as much as men). I don't love how the Southern Baptist denomination handles things; that's the kind of church I attend, by the way. I don't love it, but I still go there, because the Lord hasn't led me to change yet (but I'm always thinking about it).
I think the main reason the book resonated so deeply was because it brought up a lot of the feelings I've had the last year and a half, not about church, but what've I've experienced walking through a divorce. I laughed, I cried, and then I prayed for her when I finished reading it at the end. I don't know that I'll ever read another book by her, but this one is one of the best I've ever read...both by her and books in general.
Ahh! I am so glad you are enjoying reading again. I have been listening to audiobooks which is new for me and I am on my 4th this month! Fantastic recommendations. I have The Let Them Theory on my list!
ReplyDeleteThank you! That's great that you're listening to some audiobooks. I love listening sometimes!
DeleteI appreciate your honest reviews. It sounds like JH's book really resonated with you. She did kind of go off the deep end, but maybe she is fulfilling her purpose now by sharing such a impactful subject that so many women can relate to. Good to know about the Let Them book.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that! I agree about JH. I was able to read this book through different eyes, though, ones filled with compassion overo having walked through the same thing. I wouldn't wish that on anyone!
DeleteYay! I plan to post my reads tomorrow. I read 5 books this month and that was my goal. I read a good balance of fiction and nonfiction. It was a little heavier on the fiction because I love reading good cozy cheesy dorky mysteries this time of year. LOL!
ReplyDeleteGood for you! That's amazing, my friend. Any reading is great reading!
DeleteSo proud of you with your reading this month!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I'm really proud of myself for pushing myself to keep reading even when I didn't want to pick up a book.
DeleteI am with. you, so many "self help" books are way too long. I wish Let Them was shorter because I abandoned ship before I could finish it
ReplyDeleteYes! I agree. You didn't miss much, just follow her on IG.
DeleteI'm feeling like a lot of the Instagrammers are writing books to capitalize on their popularity but their words don't seem to work as well in book format... most of the time I feel like they are really reaching to expand on their content and go far into over-explaining so much so that I end up rolling my eyes muttering we get it! I am glad I get my books through the library because I end up skimming through a lot of the self-help, non-fiction ones I try reading. But Yay for finishing 4 books!!
ReplyDeleteThis is so true! I hadn't thought of that, but you are exactly right. I love Mel and Case, don't get me wrong, but they're better with short snippets on IG than they are with writing. But yay for me, right?! I'm so proud of myself!
DeleteI've had Awake on my TBR for a while. Thank you for your perspective! It sounds like a book that a lot of women could relate to.
ReplyDeleteI'm reading a bit of nonfiction lately too. One you might like is The Official We Do Not Care Club Handbook!
ReplyDeleteI felt similarly about the JH book. I don't agree with hardly any of her theology anymore, but I still think she is an incredibly gifted writer/storyteller. I was able to separate her story from her theology and read her book as a memoir, not as a Bible study for me. One thing that did bother me about her story, though, was how "privileged" she seemed to be in the midst of divorce. Going on multiple month-long vacations, trips, and having friends who literally did everything for her. I am glad that she had that experience- and I think that many people wouldn't be offended or jealous that was her experience, but I struggled with that a little bit because I know many people just have to continue on a daily grind that doesn't include getting away from it. If that makes sense. I can see where it could still be incredibly encouraging to someone walking through that journey, but I can also see where it might make it hard for someone walking through that journey to read about it. I would love to hear your thoughts on that part of her book!
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree about the Let Them Theory book- I got the gist in the first chapter, and I just couldn't read 45 different ways to Let Them haha. This is my husband's biggest complaint about non-fiction books- he is a big fan of the saying "It could've been an email".